Elizabeth Swann - Pirates of the Caribbean

Elizabeth Swann (later Elizabeth Turner) is a character and a main protagonist in the Walt Disney Pictures Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). Elizabeth is portrayed by Keira Knightley, and as a child by Lucinda Dryzek in the movie's prologue. She is known to use the alias "Elizabeth Turner", but this later becomes her married name when she weds the character, Will Turner (played by Orlando Bloom).

Elizabeth is a spirited, intelligent, and independent-minded character. Her beauty attracted the attention of several men including Will Turner, Hector Barbossa, James Norrington , Sao Feng and Captain Jack Sparrow. Throughout the three films, she transforms from a proper lady into a courageous pirate. Piracy and life at sea have always fascinated Elizabeth, but she is revolted by pirates' aggressive, wild nature, especially Captain Jack Sparrow, who made his escape from Port Royal at her expense, though she is grateful to him for saving her life. Even after becoming a pirate, Elizabeth retains her refined manners and morals, as well as her loyalty and compassion for loved ones (including Will Turner, her father, and later, Jack Sparrow and James Norrington).

Elizabeth adapted easily to piracy, for instance learning swordsmanship from her fiancé, Will Turner. She was able to defend herself against multiple opponents and could fight using two swords simultaneously. Elizabeth has natural leadership abilities, learned seamanship quickly, and possesses an innate talent for battle strategy, having devised defensive and offensive maneuvers against her opponents. She later uses a Chinese Jian sword and is seen carrying a multitude of other weapons on her person including knives, firearms, and what appears to be a small grenade.

She also would often speak her mind even if it meant offending others; for example she called a potentially dangerous enemy, Sao Feng, a coward right to his face. That is why Sao Feng replied, “Elizabeth Swann…there is more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? And the eye…does not go wanting.” (2007) Elizabeth was a bit of a tomboy and was a brave and resourceful woman. During her brief reign as Pirate King, Elizabeth proved to be very charismatic and encouraged the Pirates to face off against Cutler Beckett's fleet which showed that she had a talent for leadership. However there was a darker side to Elizabeth's personality as shown when she handcuffed Jack Sparrow to the mast of the Black Pearl in order to give her and the others time to escape from the Kraken, . However she felt extremely guilty for leaving Jack (though she told Jack that she wasn't sorry before leaving him to his doom) and was a member of the crew that went to rescue him from Davy Jones' Locker.